In the latest episode of the Ben Heck Show, Modding guru Ben Heck, creator of briefcase 3D printer, helps a wheelchair-bound expectant father Josh Benhart prepare for the arrival of his child by designing a motor assembly mod that easily attaches to a wheelchair. Ben increases functionality and hands-free mobility by adding a foot-controlled joystick for Benhart so he can safely carry his newborn while getting around the house.

"While I'm not a parent myself, I understand the immeasurable bond between a parent and child. I couldn't resist helping an excited father-to-be improve mobility while in his wheelchair, allowing for him to take care of his baby and spend as much one-on-one time as possible," said Ben. "With such significance behind this project, I definitely pulled out all the stops to create the ultimate, safe and mobile, hands-free chair."

To create the tank-like motorized control mechanism and foot-controlled joystick, Ben uses an H-bridge DC motor driver and a few MOSFET transistors to rig the components together and ultimately control motor speed and chair directionality. Then he uses his briefcase 3D printer to print a dome for the joystick. Ben connects Josh's wheelchair to the add-on motor assembly by leveraging the weight of the chair itself and the front tine that sits on the footrest, completing the perfect mobile accessory for the dad-to-be.

This project is still work-in-process but you can check out the concept and his progress in the video below (Not working well with IE, recommend to use Safari / Chrome / Opera / Firefox).